Carter Middle School, Clio, MI during warmer weather (courtesy Google Maps)
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“A student reporting a man with what appeared to be a rifle Wednesday morning outside Carter Middle School in Clio led officials to place the building on lockdown,” mlive.com reports. “School officials placed a call to Genesee County 911 and multiple jurisdictions responded to the area, according to a statement by middle school principal Neil Bedell.” And they’re not apologizing, either . . .

“Since we always err to the side of caution, we immediately went into a lockdown,” said Bedell, adding police found the person on a street north of the middle school and determined he was not a threat . . .

The school was taken off lockdown a short time later. Bedell commended students and staff for their “appropriate response” to the lockdown, given it was during one of the building’s lunch periods . . .

“Student safety is our number one priority,” he said. “We will always take such matters seriously and take all appropriate necessary measures to keep our children safe.”

Yes, well, the man in question was carrying a walking stick.

How he was carrying his walking stick is an open question. Was he shouldering it? Aiming it at the school like a rifle? I kinda doubt it.

Regardless, the local cops weren’t too happy about having their lunch hour interrupted by the prospect of a school shooter.

Bedell noted the man was advised by police of what the student “perceived” and was asked not to walk “in such close proximity of the building during school hours.”

Maybe they should run a firearms identification class at the school. Just sayin’ . . .

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87 COMMENTS

  3. ‘Bedell commended students and staff for their “appropriate response” to the lockdown, given it was during one of the building’s lunch periods . . .’

    Good sheep, I say very good sheep, even while given their mealtime, the sheep still follow directions.

    ‘ “Student safety is our number one priority,” he said. “We will always take such matters seriously and take all appropriate necessary measures to keep our children safe.” ‘

    Now I’m getting confused; is it Student safety (sheep safety), safety for the chillins (almost in the same breathe) or officer safety because they have to go home at night? Somebody please help me understand.

  4. What do walking sticks in Michigan, dildos in Texas, and umbrellas in California all have in common? They are all things gun muggles have mistaken for firearms. It’s no wonder they don’t know what an assault rifle is.

    I wonder what the man’s reaction was, to the police’s request that he avoid public places while comporting himself lawfully with harmless, inanimate objects? (Perhaps the police officers’ time would have been better spent giving some remedial firearms handling lessons to the middle schoolers.)

  5. Wait. The cops immediately decide to issue a proclamation restricting where the guy can walk and when? You know they will harass him they couldn’t just go tell the superintendent knock it off.

      • Had I been the person accosted by those pigs, undoubtedly my response would have been to GFY!

        I will walk in public where I please, when I please, and while carrying whatever legal objects I damn well please, and any further harassment will be met immediately with written complaints to their supervisors and the possibility of Federal lawsuits for deprivation of rights under color of law. That ought to shut ’em up on the spot.

        • Hmm – this was mistakenly posted here, then deleted before I posted the next one… not sure why it still appears?

    • Sorry, but that just punches my buttons… Had I been the law-abiding person accosted by those pigs, undoubtedly my response would have been to GFY!

      I will walk in public where I please, when I please, and while carrying whatever legal objects I damn well please, and any further harassment will be met immediately with written complaints to their supervisors and the possibility of Federal lawsuits for deprivation of rights under color of law. That ought to shut ’em up on the spot.

      Besides, if that school wants to “execute a lockdown” every time someone walks past with a cane, that’s on them – not the cops, not the law-abiding citizen walking by. You want to make yourself look like a bunch of fools while crowing about “safety” from the sketchy character with a cane, then go right ahead.

  6. Hmmm…I know this area as my mom and her relatives came from Flint,Clio and Flushing,MI. Pathetic po-leece. Reminds me of a Monty Python bit about a pointed stick😄😎😏

  7. OK. when did cane guns come back into vogue? Oh it wasn’t a cane gun just a regular cane? Uh huh so explain this to me Mr. Coppiceman why is it you are proclaiming through your “infinite legislative powers” that said old guy cannot be on a public sidewalk outside of a public school during hours of the day when the normal public is out doing normal public things like walking down public sidewalks while public schools are in session? Perhaps that particular sidewalk past that particular public school leads to the particular place that old feller needs to be at that particular time of day furthermore, perhaps you should teach those children not to lose their particular minds when seeing an object that “looks like a rifle”. This mass paranoia over mass shootings really does need to stop. I’m sorry little Billy but your school is not important enough to be the statement piece most mass shooters want and the likely hood or Ms. Sexyteacher’s boyfriend shooting up the place after she dumps him is extremely remote. Little Billy just bury your nose in the books, learn what a gun looks like, and don’t do the tide pod challenge.

  9. Of course the cops blamed the innocent citizen. I would bet a new Weatherby that the cops “asked” for (aka demanded) the citizen’s ID within 15 seconds of encountering him. The citizen was thus required to prove he was innocent. Then the cops wrote a report, which went to some Federal computer center, which will means the innocent citizen is on a watch list. We live in a police state and the police are eager to enforce papers-please prove-you’re-innocent mandate. Sad.

    • They’re not blaming him, they’re trying to deal with the situation in a way that will work. They probably talked to him, found him to be entirely reasonable and willing to help avoid the situation happening again (since he likely had no idea anyone would mistake his stick for a gun). Not everything has to be some grand battle between police and citizens, you know.

      But feel free to become a cop, take that call, and then march into the school superintendant’s office and yell at him that he needs to get his people in line. See how long that works.

      • Feel free to spare me the lecture on why I didn’t become a police officer (truth…I figured 6 years in AFSOC was enough .gov work for me).

        Why don’t you tell Mr. walking stick, who likely served in WWII, Korea, or Vietnam that after he served our country some misguided cops get to tell him when to and when not to walk on public sidewalks because a nosy ignoramus can’t tell the difference between a walking stick and a rifle.

        • The fact of the matter is we don’t know how the cops approached the situation. We don’t know Mr. Walking stick guy (WW2 vet or pedophile? Both? Neither?). We don’t know if the cops ID’d the guy. We don’t know if they even wrote a report. We don’t know what happened, period. The only thing this line of discussion has revealed is all the bigotry and bias (for/against cops) we have stuck in our skulls……. If nothing happened some of us would swear its all part of the government conspiracy to oppress us minorities (gun owners). If the cops shot Mr Walking stick guy, some of us would come out and say the cops were perfectly justified killing an unarmed man…. but at the end of the day nothing happened and we’re all screaming like idiots at eachother.

        • That’s not true; we do know one thing with utter certainty. Mr. Walking Stick was a law-abiding citizen who was apparently violating not a single law when those cops accosted him.

          How do we know that? Because if he had been so much as jaywalking we would have heard all about it, and if it was anything more serious, under those circumstances he’d likely have been ticketed or arrested for any infraction, no matter how minor.

          No one doubts that for a second, I hope.

        • There were 11 sentences in that article and the only thing we know about the guy is he had a stick….. I stand by what I’ve been saying; everything we are screaming about here is based on assumptions.

        • First of all, I don’t see anyone screaming here… if that’s your perception, perhaps you should calm down a bit.

          Secondly, although it was not explicitly stated in the article, I will stand by what I said as well: If he had been breaking any laws, he would have been punished for the crime of allowing snowflakes to become frightened of his rifle. Er, stick.

          Ergo, he was not breaking any laws. Do you seriously doubt that if he hadn’t been squeaky clean, he would have been harassed further and possibly arrested? Do you know anything about the history of the Clio school district vs. legal firear ms carriers?

      • I’m sure that’s what that cop probably did because he got pissed off he had to throw his tacos out and rush off to a nothing call.

        Again another nothing call, just like the swatting calls that resulted in two deaths the past week.

        I’m at the point now I wish 911 was turned off and the people just dealt with issues themselves instead of calling the big, strong policeman to protect them while they hid under their desks.

        It’s not only a police state now, it’s a protection racket. Firefighters starting fires, cops murdering people saying they had something that looked like a gun or they were reaching in their pants to pull a pubic hair out of their pee hole.

        • Firefighters can be just as ruthless as cops, when it comes to their arrogance and “protection ” from lawsuits by their official “immunity”…
          A firefighter from a certain southeastern Michigan community claimed to have a “arson dog”–one that could detect accelerants. This “firefighter” and his dog were instrumental in ruining many peoples’ lives by his testimony alone. Insurance companies LOVED this guy as he was able to get them out of paying (valid) claims. People were denied valid insurance claims and prosecuted for arson on the testimony of this “arson dog’s” handler.
          Those who were “burned” (no pun intended) by this supposed arson dog’s “handler” had no recourse, because of “qualified immunity”. The firefighter (and fire department) could not be sued.
          Finally one citizen who had been accused of arson fought back by suing to prove the “arson dog’s” ability. The dog was found to have NO special ability. The “arson dog” was acting on “cues” from its handler; his human master’s career was finally over. How many innocent people were convicted of arson and lost everything they owned??
          Another case was that of a plating plant that caught fire. The owners had a fire department “approved” fire plan in place which involved shutting off utilities and shutting down processes in an orderly fashion. The firefighters that responded to the fire pushed the owner out of the way, and told him that they were going to do things “their way”. The building burned to the ground.
          A firefighter’s job (for at least 98% of the time) is not inherently dangerous. This does not take away from the seriousness of their job, which is to be commended. but, firefighter arrogance can be just as dangerous as police arrogance. THIS is why firefighters should be included in the abolition of immunity for public officials.

      • No they aren’t blaming Mr. Walking Stick and I’m sure he was completely reasonable. What you’re failing to see is the need for the PoPo to tear a strip off Principal Bedell’s ass.

        How many of those “poor children” learned that day how to shut the school down in a panic because of this foolishness.

      • If public safety trumps the Ada then it may also trump all discrimination laws
        If minorities cause lockdowns by their mere presence it could be used as a pretext to put whites only signs up since public safety trumps anti discrimination laws.
        The case that you cite Involves an armed and violent disabled person so the right to life and limb of everyone in the vicinity trumps the right of the violent disabled person. Which is completely different than a non violent person simply walking down a public sidewalk. What if black people cause lockdowns simply walking down the sidewalks while black? Can they use public safety as an excuse to put whites only signs up.

        • Its an absurd argument you put forward. Having a cane or being black isn’t cause for an emergency. “A man with a rifle” along with a description is enough reasonable suspicion to make contact with a guy with a cane or someone who is black so long as they match the description given by the reporting party. It sounds like they treated the “guy with a cane” the same way they would have treated a guy who didn’t have a cane…. sounds fair to me. But, again, I wasn’t there and there isn’t enough information for me to have an opinion one way or an other.

    • do you really want the same teachers that are teaching your kid math, science, social studies, English, and “humanities” teaching them gun safety? I sure as hell don’t! I’ve had to reteach my kids math 3 times thanks to common core, every time they learn a new mathematical concept I have to teach them the correct way to do it and then tell them why common core was wrong when it said 3×3=33. Nope I’ll just keep teaching them the gun stuff and the correct history of things at home. Try looking at your kid’s history books and take note of what they leave out.

      • Yep, And think some of these kids that are being taught common core math will be in charge of a space program or this country. Who else has watched the movie “idiocracy” and said to themselves, this will be he US in a 100 years or less!!

        • Common Core is for the children of us plebes. The Equestrians and 1st class teach their children the forbiden knowledge, lest we become a learn-ed people and rise up in violent indignation.

      • agree with common core. we have the same BS here tough they call it something different. dont have kids myself but i have helped a number of friends kids with their math and the leaps in logic required to do anything the common core way is astounding. does not compute no matter what way you look at it. these kids were struggling to do basic equations of any sort so i taught them the way i was taught. in no time they were doing math etc like old hands. BTW one of their teachers had a go at the parents with me present. i told them to go learn to be a garbage collector as they were useless as a teacher.

        Nope i dont pull punches not even to “authority” but that used to be the australian way….. sadly it seems not so much anymore

  13. I reacted in the same manner as ATFAgentBob……

    Bedell noted the man was advised by police of what the student “perceived” and was asked not to walk “in such close proximity of the building during school hours”.

    — — — — —

    To put it mildly, that sentence set me off. The pending explosion of vehemently dangerous and beyond snarkified commentary I can easily offer would – not could – would get me in some serious difficulty with the men and women in a profession (a calling truthfully) that I admire more than I can ever truly explain.

    The “student” has been indoctrinated since his/her knowledge and understanding began to the point that a simple stick with a crook/handle is an evil scary-looking gun and shouldn’t be mistaken for an improperly-bitten pop tart or an even eviler and scariler-looking finger pistol. And the other main thing, …..asked not to walk “in such close proximity of the building during school hours”……. What in the absolute and actual fuc…………… never mind. I gotta go to the range for a bit.

    • I have a better suggestion for you to blow off some steam… hit up the Bing videos and do an unfiltered search of Bailey Jay or Sarina Velentina.

      You can thank me later after you’ve washed your hands and mopped the floor.

    • Maybe walking stick guy was a sexual predator out on parole for taking pictures of kiddies and jerking off at the park. Maybe he’s a meth addict who was freaking out the kids. Maybe he’s a WW2 vet who ate some shrapnel on Omaha Beach. Maybe he’s a grandpa dropping his grandkids off at school…. we don’t know what happened, what was said, how the cops dealt with it, or who this guy was……. On its face, it’s nothing more than idiotic head stroking, telling the children that they are right to be scared and they should run and hide from every old man with a stick….. scratching the paint off of it, there’s always more and always less than we put on it when we don’t know what actually happened.

  15. “Since we always err to the side of caution, we immediately went into a lockdown,”

    Sooo, … your behavior can be determined, strictly and predictably, by a phone call from an unknown source, possibly with an insidious motive. And now, everybody knows it.

  16. This is what happened when persons in California lawfully open (unloaded) carry in public places. Same excessive police response, same illegal demands, but unfortunately followed swiftly by a new law banning open unloaded carry. to protect peoples’ “feels.”

    By the way, if they ordered the old man to not walk in such close proximity to the school, as opposed to merely requesting that he do so, the order was unlawful and void. It is not his fault that people are stupid.

    • I witnessed a cop take down(not very carefully) a blind man, standing at a bus stop in front of the center for the blind in L.A. He beat this guy senseless because he wouldn’t follow orders to “drop his weapon”. The alleged weapon? A fold up cane for the blind, which was in his back packet. This cop thought he had a pair of numchucks. The center for the blind is a school, has signs everywhere and even chirping crosswalks 30 years ago. It is obvious that most of the people around there are sight impaired or else caregivers.

  18. Bedell noted the man was advised by police of what the student “perceived” and was asked not to walk “in such close proximity of the building during school hours.”

    More the reason all the cop hate. Just the other day cops were complaining about all the cop hate in the comments section of a TTAG article. Then we have article 1 above.

    Cops shouldn’t bother the man with the walking stick walking near a “public” school that he has every right to walk next to. Instead of warning him, they should have had a talk to the retarded individuals at the school making the call. The walking stick man should have told those cops to FO.

    • The cops and school officials work for the same people, so they’re essentially members of the same corporation, just different divisions of the corporation.

      Thus, it’s never anyone inside the corporations fault, it’s always the customers of the corporation, in this instance, the general public who are robbed at gunpoint to pay for the operations of the corporation and are told that they own the corporation when in reality they are merely slaves to the corporation.

      • Yes…. they work for the elected represetatives of the people in that town (School Board and Mayor). If the people in that town have any concerns they can approach their locally elected officials and call for heads to roll. Maybe there will be massive public outrage and the towns people will burn and pillage the police station and hang the mayor and execute the principal and school board….. or maybe this is nothing and nobody cares except a group of screaming internet commandos a thousand miles away.

        • I can place an order on Amazon for you. One police community Blanket, One big government Binkey, and a book on how to construct a safe space for statists…

        • The over riding theme of all my posts here is that people are making assumptions about what happened based on fragmentary and incomplete information. They are then superimposing bias in to the vacuum…. that being said, it seems you’ve pegged me as a nannystatist snowflake…. please elaborate.

    • BTW, which story on TTAG are you talking about with all the “cop hate” and all the cops complaining about it? The qualified immunity one?

  19. This is worse than some nefarious police state. This is the people locking themselves behind bars of stupidity, ignorance and phobia.

    If there is an Orwellian cabal hellbent on controlling our lives they now know they need not try so hard. We’re doing their job for them.

  20. I once went to a gun range, there were guns all over the place, I got scared so I called the police, they asked the gun holders to not carry their guns when they were at the range, I feel much better now when I go there to read my “How to be a liberal” pamphlet. Whhhh, crisis avoided, and by the way that was sarcasm. :-).

    • I know you were being sarcastic but, during the public comment period of a zoning hearing for a new gun range near where I live, one of the locals that objected stated that their reason for objecting was because people would bring guns there.

    • Shit, I’m gonna see if I can get an SJW to come to my range and goad her into calling 911 to complain about “White men brandishing guns” and then when the dispatcher asks for the address to say the clubs name and then I still want to see if they’ll send units out in response.

      • They will…. a cop will come and escort the crazy woman from the property before she does something stupid.

  21. Well, the first problem is believing the media report about this incident. The media does not let facts get in the way of a good story.

    Who should be in trouble? Who ever reported the man with a gun, if it was student, he can’t tell a stick from a firearm? Blame the parents. I do not blame the police, they can’t win either way.

  23. I’ll call this for what this probably was: attempted Swatting. One of the kids, who was probably a punk 14 year old and of a certain ethnicity, saw some old guy of an ethnicity not of his own and he ran to a teacher and said, “Yo der’s a crackca’ outsigh widduh guh!”

    And he figured maybe they’d here the sirens, dumb pig Nazi’s shouting to the old guy to get on the ground and do the hokey pokey then when he told them he can’t bend over they were gonna shoot him 100 times with their guns that had laser engravings of phrases like, “I just blew your f*cking brains out” and “My badge is my license to kill and get a year long paid suspension.”

    That’s what the “student” was looking to do because he wanted to be the next one that Swatted somebody and led to another public execution.

  25. Something similar happened at my elementary school in the early 90’s. We were at recess and suddenly the teachers start freaking out and rush us all inside b/c one of my classmates saw a man walking through the woods with a “gun”.

    So after a big police response, and half a day lockdown, they finally found the man. He was a surveyor carry a transit and tripod for surveying the land behind the school….hired by the school. Even at 7 or 8 years old I remember thinking how stupid my classmates and teachers were for not being able to identify a firearm.

  26. Michigan Cops to Man with Walking Stick: Stay Away from School During School Hours

    Man with Walking Stick to Michigan Cops: Kiss My Stick

  27. The cops are discriminating against this disabled person in violation of the ADA. If a African-American person triggered a lockdown would Michigan cops say no African-Americans allowed during school hours? It is just as illegal to disriminate against disabled as it is to discriminate against an African-American

  31. Michigan LEO’s, setting the low bar on law enforcement, along with Chicago, et al. Those LEO’s are a product of that same school system so garbage in, garbage out…

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